TKR Four years and Never Recovered

[Emmybones]

Well, at the end of March it will be one year. I went longer for PT than most patients, from March until September but almost one year after right TKR I still have swelling to the left of the implant.

My physical therapist had told me I have pes ansurine bursitis. I went back to my surgeon and got a cortisone shot. It never truly went away so I limp now. I don't feel I need a cane anymore but I still have stiffness. I do exercises but honestly sometimes I'm not consistent. I think the stationery bike in the gym is the best. I go back to my surgeon for an almost year check-up in a few weeks.

I'm wondering if any other members have had this happen, which I think is a complication of TKR?

To make matters worse, I tripped in my apartment this week and fell on my surgery knee. At least I fell on a rug but now it's more sore than it was. The bursitis got worse also. Is it from the fall? Is it because of the winter?

Also, I know two people who just had TKR and are doing much better than I am. They are only weeks from surgery and say they have minimal pain. Is that possible? They had the same surgeon. They also had no staples. Hmm... One of them isn't walking with a walker already, only a cane, 4 weeks after surgery! I had a walker for at least a month or a little more. They also say they didn't need opioids. I was taking Dilaudid round the clock.

Arghh, I'm frustrated. Thanks for any observations and experience you can share.

 

[Jockette]

Welcome to Bonesmart!

I had my partial replacement a week before you. I have had a slower recovery than others, too. We are all different and recover at different rates. But it’s so hard not to compare our progress to others.

I think I went from walker to cane at about 2 weeks, but I used the cane for a long time. It took me a while for my balance to feel better.

I’m sorry you fell on your knee. That’s always scary! But I am told that our implants are usually quite strong. Even if you didn’t have an implant in your knee it would hurt if you fell on it. Hopefully it is “just” soft tissue soreness and not anything more serious.

Someone who knows more than me will be along to address your questions.

Best wishes to you!

 

[Emmybones]

Thank you so much Jockette! That's true, my knee would hurt after falling. It IS so hard not to compare yourself. I'm so puzzled that the two people I know are doing so well so quickly!

 

[sistersinhim]

I fell on my knee when it was 11 months old. The pain I had was soft tissue pain. Yours probably is too.

 

[Jockette]

How well do you know these other 2 people who had replacements?

I live in a 55+ Community and have friends that are more like acquaintances. One of the women I know had her replacement exactly 4 weeks after me with the same surgeon. I would hear M is doing this, she’s doing that, etc. and I was getting really down, she sounded way ahead of me.

Then one day when I was 7 months post op and she was 6 I actually spoke with her. She was not happy with her progress, it was taking so long. She said she felt like she still had her arthritic knee. I told her recovery takes a year and she just rolled her eyes.

The moral of the story is, she wasn’t doing as well as I was led to believe.

I had told her about Bonesmart before her surgery but as far as I know she didn’t look at it much.

 

[Josephine]

Never ever compare you own situation to that of other people, even if they did have the same surgeon! No two surgeries are the same. They cannot be. Even people who have both knees done at the same time find the recoveries are totally different to one another!

So having got that out of the way, can you show me where your pain is using this chart?

 

[celynda]

Emmybones, I, too, was diagnosed with bursitis just under two years after my R TKA in 2015. Nothing seemed to help: steroid shots, exercise, ice, etc. When I had a third opinion, the new OS said more often then not what seems to be bursitis in a replaced knee is in reality symptomatic of a loosened implant.

As a result, I'm having a revision in March. I hope your knee feels better soon.

 

[Josephine]

the new OS said more often then not what seems to be bursitis in a replaced knee is in reality symptomatic of a loosened implant.

Very true and something I always keep in mind. It's why I often ask for xrays so I can see for myself.

 

[mlwreader]

Even people who have both knees done at the same time find the recoveries are totally different to one another!

This is so true. I had both knees done at once, and the left has consistently been more cranky than the right. Also, a dear friend had both knees done by my surgeon a few years back, in fact she recommended him to me. Her surgery and recovery went so well he called her his star patient. Me? Not so much. I had lots of issues, irritated stitches, infections, rashes, abscesses, all kinds of messy stuff. My friend finally admitted to me recently that she guesses she just was really lucky with her recovery after listening to all my stuff.

I will say though that most of my difficulties have been external and related to my skin and allergies, and rashes and like that. Internally the joints seem to be doing well. I have random aches and pains, but for the most part I am really functional. So my advice is not to compare your recovery to anyone else. It's your recovery and your knee is in charge, so don't get discouraged. Keep sharing on bonesmart because you will get lots of help and encouragement on here.

 

[Emmybones]

Thank you Josephine. It's hard not to compare because you think, "why didn't I have that experience?" But thank you for the reminder.

My pain and swelling is at D-E-F RF2. I had bursitis in this spot on and off BEFORE the TKR.

I am taking an anti-inflammatory also and working on losing weight. I've lost about 26 lbs so far. Thank you for the reference in the thread. I'll read that thread.

Thank you so much mlwreader. I've learned already not to compare surgeries. I never thought about TKRs on both knees being different. Thanks Josephine and mlwreader!

Oh gosh, a loose implant. Good luck ceylynda. I hope all goes well in March.

Hmmm, you bring up a good point. They are between friends and acquaintances. I think you're right. If I sat with them and questioned them more there might be more to it. But now I've learned not even to compare with anyone else. It's tempting, but you just have to put it out of your mind. When I was in PT, there was a woman about the same age as me who was able to do the stationary bike going frontwise. She was only 4 weeks out and I was 9 weeks out at the time. I could only go backwards. I started to get down until my PT reminded me everyone is different. Thanks for your encouragement Jockette.

 

[Josephine]

@Emmybones it's unnecessary to quote a post just to reply to it - this isn't Facebook, you know! So you can see I have merged 4 posts that were all made within minutes of one another.

To reply, just scoot on down to the bottom of the page where it says "Write your reply ..." and start typing! Unless there is some specific phrase you want to address, of course - like I just did! Then do it like this How to quote a post.

Thanks for understanding!

 

[Josephine]

So this is where your pain is?

 

[Emmybones]

Yes, that's exactly where my pain and swelling is.

 

[Josephine]

Do you have a copy of your most recent xray for me to see?

 

[Emmybones]

No I don’t have a copy of it. Should i try to get it?

 

[sistersinhim]

Josephine can give you more information after seeing your xray. So yes, try and get it for her.

 

[Emmybones]

Josephine, I just got back from my almost one year evaluation. They did take an x-ray and the PA and my surgeon said the x-ray looks fine. My surgeon said it's a pesky problem that mostly likely is related to well, it can happen from replacement but also if the patient is prone to bursitis which apparently I am. I have to strengthen the muscles. I've worked on that in the gym, but not enough. Sigh. It's back to RICE.

 

[sistersinhim]

Did you get the copy of that xray?

 

[Emmybones]

It should be on my record on line but it's not. I just requested it via email.

 

[sistersinhim]

Good deal!